Shoe-lace hook.



No. 777,177. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904. J. P. BERGERON.

SHOE LACE HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented December 13, 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

JAY PERRY BERGERON, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO TVVENTIETH OENTURY SHOE LACE HOOK 00., A CORPORA- TION OF OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

SHOE-LACE HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,177, ed D m er 13, 1904:-

Application filed $eptember 24, 1903. Serial No. 174,519. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAY PERRY BEEenRoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Shoe-Lace Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe-lace hooks particularly adapted for use on ladies shoes and in place of the hooks now commonly employed, which are liable to catch upon the articles of clothing moving thereover and wear and tear such articles.

The defects present in many of the hooks now used will, it is believed, be overcome by the improved hook or lace-holding device, wherein all angular projections or hook-terminals are dispensed with and in lieu thereof a spherical retaining device is employed and presents a curved surface over which articles of clothing will move without injury thereto.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a shoe, showing the improved lacinghook applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through a portion of the lacing-flies of the shoe and the improved hooks oppositely disposed thereon, the one book being open and the other closed and shown engaged by a portion of the lacing. Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of one of the hooks. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view of the lace-engaging member of the hook. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the fastening and supporting member of the hook.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a shoe having lacing-flies 2, which are provided with lacinghooks which in the present instance embody the features of the invention. Each lacinghook comprises a fastening or supporting member 4: in the form of an eyelet, which is inserted through an opening in one of the lacing-flies and upset to secure the hook as an entirety in connection with the fly, as clearly shown by Fig. 2. Continuing from the eye let of the member 4: is a table 5, having a circumferential flange 6 and an inner outwardlycurved arm 7, which projects over a portion of the table. The lace-engaging member is formed from a single piece of sheet metal and provided with a concave-convex or substantially spherical head 8, having an arcuate terminal edge 9 to conform to the circular contour of the inner portion of the flange 6, over which it partially extends when closed inwardly against the table 5. Projecting from the head is a reduced tongue 10, having two slots or openings 11 formed therein and extending transversely thereover, the portion of the tongue 10 extending beyond the slots forming a lace-engaging projection.

In assembling the lace-engaging member as an entirety in connection with the combined fastening and supporting member the free end of the arm 7 is inserted through the slots 11 and bent in such manner as to connect the said lace-engaging member to the fastening and supportingmember. As before indicated, the eyelet portion of the fastening member is inserted through a suitable opening in one of the flies of the shoe with the arm 7 located innermost.

When the lacing is placed in engagement with the improved hook, the tension thereof on the projection of the tongue 10 causes the lace-engaging member to be thrown down or closed inwardly against the combined fastening. and supporting member, the said lace-engaging member remaining in this position as long as the lacing is hearing thereagainst. \V hen the lace-engaging member is closed, it presents a spherical surface which will not wear upon or tear articles of clothing moving thereover, and when it is desired to disengage the lacing from the several hooks used on a shoe the said hooks can be freely pulled upon and the lacing slipped outwardly from the under portion thereof. l V hen the several lace engaging members are open, they remain in this position in view of the frictional bind ex.-

erted thereon by the arms 7 and will always be ready to receive the lacing.

The improved lacing attachment will be found to be convenient and positive in its operation and is comparatively inexpensive in the cost of manufacture. It may be enameled in difi'erent colors to suit the style of shoe on which it is used and can also be quickly constructed from sheet metal. It is also 0bvious that the dimensions and proportions may be varied at will to accommodate different applications.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- In a device of the class set forth, an eyelet having an outer annular table provided with a circumferential flange and an inner curved arm which projects over the table, and a sheetmetal lace-engaging member of substantially circular form and constructed with a spherical head having an arcuate terminal edge to conform to the circular contour of the inner portion of the flange, one extremity of the laceengaging member being reduced and curved and formed, with parallel slots at a distance from the free end thereof to provide a pivotbar, the free end of the arm of the table being inserted throughthe slots and bent around the bar, the free end of the reduced extremity of the lace-engaging member being always held within the confines of the table and the arm and prevented from extending into the eyelet. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAY PERRY BERGERON. WVitnesses:

F. O. JOHNSON, Mrs. J. H. CoNLEY. 

